HomeRamayanaBala KandaSarga 6Shloka 20
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Shloka 20

अयोध्यावर्णनम्

Description of Ayodhya under Daśaratha

सा तेनेक्ष्वाकुनाथेन पुरी सुपरिरक्षिता ।यथा पुरस्तान्मनुना मानवेन्द्रेण धीमता ।।1.6.20।।

sā tenekṣvākunāthena purī suparirakṣitā |

yathā purastān manunā mānavendreṇa dhīmatā || 1.6.20 ||

वह पुरी उस इक्ष्वाकुनाथ (दशरथ) द्वारा भली-भाँति रक्षित और शासित थी, जैसे प्राचीन काल में बुद्धिमान मनुष्यों में श्रेष्ठ मनु ने उसका पालन किया था॥

साthat (city)
सा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (pronoun)
तेनby him
तेन:
Karaṇa (करण) / Agent-instrumental
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन
इक्ष्वाकुनाथेनby the lord of the Ikṣvāku line
इक्ष्वाकुनाथेन:
Karaṇa (करण) (agent expressed in instrumental)
TypeNoun
Rootइक्ष्वाकु + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘इक्ष्वाकूणां नाथः’
पुरीcity
पुरी:
Karta (कर्ता) (subject of suparirakṣitā)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
सुपरिरक्षिताwell-protected; well-governed
सुपरिरक्षिता:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of पुरी
TypeAdjective
Rootसु + परि + रक्षित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √रक्ष् धातु)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)
यथाas; just like
यथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formउपमान/प्रकार-अव्यय (comparative/‘as’)
पुरस्तात्formerly; earlier
पुरस्तात्:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (temporal)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुरस्तात् (अव्यय)
Formकाल/देश-अव्यय (adverb: formerly/before)
मनुनाby Manu
मनुना:
Karaṇa (करण) (agent in instrumental)
TypeNoun
Rootमनु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
मानवेन्द्रेणby the foremost among men
मानवेन्द्रेण:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमानव + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘मानवानाम् इन्द्रः’
धीमताby the wise one
धीमता:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of मनुना/मानवेन्द्रेण
TypeAdjective
Rootधीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त adjective ‘wise’

That city was ably governed by Dasaratha, scion of the Ikshvakus, in the same way as it was previously administered by (Manu), the foremost among men and and the most intelligent.

A
Ayodhyā
D
Daśaratha
I
Ikṣvāku
M
Manu

FAQs

Dharma is shown as continuity of righteous governance: a king protects the city not by force alone but by wise administration aligned with exemplary precedent (Manu as archetype of lawful order).

The narration continues praising Ayodhyā by linking Daśaratha’s rule to the ancient ideal of Manu’s governance, presenting Ayodhyā as a model polity.

Protective wisdom in kingship: Daśaratha’s excellence is framed as suparirakṣaṇa—competent, vigilant protection grounded in intelligence and tradition.